What kinds of writing do you do in your field/job?
-Police reports: Criminal or Traffic. Mostly check-off block reporting with descriptive narrative. Public information releases. Daily activity report. Detailed note taking of victim/witness/suspects statements and crime scene observations.
Please tell me about the kind of writing you do on an average day.
-Fill out pre-printed reports with necessary information pertaining to police investigations. After filling in answer blocks in the report a detailed narrative is written to explain the investigative synopsis.
For what purposes do you write?
-Reports will be used throughout the criminal process. They need to contain the necessary information needed for further investigation by either the report writer or other investigators who may continue with the investigation. Many long term investigations could be handled by several investigators over a period of time
For what audiences do you write?
-Reports are reviewed by immediate supervisor for content and correction of any mistakes. Then sent to the Officer in Charge to be evaluated for importance and related investigation analysis. If report of investigation leads to an arrest, the reports are forwarded to the District Attorney Office to be used in the prosecution of the case. (Defense Attorney also has access to the reports at this time). Public has limited access to reports after disposition of the case.
What is the title of one research article you admire?
-The Pennsylvania Bulletin is a monthly article that contains the most recent changes and rulings involving the court cases within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The decisions listed in the Bulletin help police know what investigative practices are or aren’t accepted by the courts.
What do you get out of the writing you do?
-The writing used in police reporting is not creative or technical. Most of the report writing is compiled from detailed note writing. Most of the statement writing are direct quotes from other people. The written synopsis of the report is usually short, direct to the point sentences. Since what you write can be used by both prosecution and defense attorneys, it helps the investigation if your reports are easy to read and direct to the point. The ultimate goal of a police of investigation is the arrest and conviction of a guilty party. If the written reports aids in doing that, then my job is complete and I feel satisfied.
- What kinds of writing do you do in your field/job?
-Police reports: Criminal or Traffic. Mostly check-off block reporting with descriptive narrative. Public information releases. Daily activity report. Detailed note taking of victim/witness/suspects statements and crime scene observations.-Court reports: Affidavits of probable cause. Arrest warrants. Search warrants. Criminal complaints. Traffic citations. Non-traffic citations.
-Fill out pre-printed reports with necessary information pertaining to police investigations. After filling in answer blocks in the report a detailed narrative is written to explain the investigative synopsis.
-Reports will be used throughout the criminal process. They need to contain the necessary information needed for further investigation by either the report writer or other investigators who may continue with the investigation. Many long term investigations could be handled by several investigators over a period of time
-Reports are reviewed by immediate supervisor for content and correction of any mistakes. Then sent to the Officer in Charge to be evaluated for importance and related investigation analysis. If report of investigation leads to an arrest, the reports are forwarded to the District Attorney Office to be used in the prosecution of the case. (Defense Attorney also has access to the reports at this time). Public has limited access to reports after disposition of the case.
-Pennsylvania Bulletin
-The Pennsylvania Bulletin is a monthly article that contains the most recent changes and rulings involving the court cases within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The decisions listed in the Bulletin help police know what investigative practices are or aren’t accepted by the courts.
-The writing used in police reporting is not creative or technical. Most of the report writing is compiled from detailed note writing. Most of the statement writing are direct quotes from other people. The written synopsis of the report is usually short, direct to the point sentences. Since what you write can be used by both prosecution and defense attorneys, it helps the investigation if your reports are easy to read and direct to the point. The ultimate goal of a police of investigation is the arrest and conviction of a guilty party. If the written reports aids in doing that, then my job is complete and I feel satisfied.